Full Circle

Full Circle

Presidents’ Circle Spotlight:

Best Automotive Group Helps NICU Babies with Recent Gift

Scott Shulman, owner of BEST Automotive Group in Hingham and Plymouth, recently added a new chapter to his dealerships’ long history of giving to South Shore Health System. This most recent gift will help the smallest and most vulnerable patients at South Shore Hospital - with the purchase of a NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) isolette transport incubator. The unit provides a safe and temperature-controlled environment that caregivers will use to securely transport premature babies from South Shore locations to Boston hospital NICUs for further specialized care. The incubators can also safely transport babies back to South Shore Health System once they are stable enough to be cared for closer to their families.

Shulman’s tradition of giving to South Shore Health System started with his father.

“My dad got involved with the hospital more than thirty years ago,” said Shulman. When he took over the business, Scott re-enforced the family’s commitment by joining the initial group of business leaders who founded the Presidents’ Circle.

“When your business is as visible as ours is, you get asked for a lot for donations,” Shulman explained. “As the demand started to grow, I asked, ‘What’s the best cause to invest in, which will make the biggest impact for our customers and employees?’ The answer for us was South Shore Hospital.”

Many South Shore patients and families have benefitted from BEST Automotive Group’s incredible thoughtfulness and generosity. Over the years BEST has given to the Emergency Department and the Orthopedics Center. One of their proudest moments was the unveiling of the Mobile Simulation Lab which BEST Automotive Group fully funded. The mobile lab is a specially outfitted ambulance, complete with life-like adult, teen and infant mannequins, which allows firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics to practice and train for crucial response techniques for high risk, low probability emergencies. There are only a handful of these mobile training labs throughout the country, and this is the first one in New England. Shulman named one of the pediatric mannequins after his granddaughter, Lucy.

Shulman adds, “Our giving is a collective effort from everyone at BEST—we make sure to get our employees involved as well.” And the family legacy continues—Shulman’s daughter now oversees the dealership’s charitable giving efforts, his son works as the General Manager of the Hingham dealership, and his son-in-law heads up the Plymouth location. “Like our business, South Shore Hospital has a strong reputation for delivering quality care and service to the community – and I can’t think of a better way to contribute to the wellbeing of our customers and employees than by supporting the health care system they rely on for their care.”

Join SSHS PMC Team

Join South Shore Health System’s 2018 Pan Mass Challenge Team!

South Shore Health System is recruiting cyclists to join its 2018 Pan Mass Challenge (PMC) team. There are 12 different routes available to ride ranging from 25 to 192 miles. Fundraising minimums range from $1,200 to $4,900. If you have already registered, please consider joining Team SSHS Riding As One to benefit cancer patients and their families on the south shore.

For Len and Dolly Bicknell, and their daughter, Laura Bicknell-Carbone, the annual PMC ride is a personal one. Collectively, three generations of the Bicknell and Carbone families have been riding and raising money in the Pan-Mass Challenge for the past 26 years. Two years ago, Len Bicknell, the past-president of Alvin Hollis and long-time Presidents’ Circle member, teamed up with Skip Sullivan (CEO of Electro-Prep) and Dr. Brian Dolan to form the SSHS Pan-Mass Challenge Team. Through their efforts, all funds raised from Team SSHS will support cancer care at our Weymouth campus.

“It’s always a tremendous event,” Len said. “I’m thrilled to support the wonderful cancer care South Shore Health System has provided through the years.”

Today, Alvin Hollis is led by the 4th and 5th generation of the family business. Laura Bicknell-Carbone, Vice President of the company, brings the same passion and commitment to her customers out onto the bike route. “It is hard to put into words how important the Pan Mass Challenge is to us. After losing my grandfather and so many others to cancer, it is our dream to one day do the ride just for fun, because we’ll have helped eliminate cancer.”

Wellness at Work

On a snowy morning in late January, Russelectric employees gathered for the organization's quarterly staff meeting. There were presentations about the future business goals of Russelectric and innovation in their market. There was also one guest who was new to their meeting. Jennifer Logan, Community and Aquatics Program Manager at South Shore Health System, was there to provide an overview of wellness to their 200 employees.

As one of the benefits of Presidents' Circle membership, companies have access to expert clinical speakers for corporate meetings and events. Russelectric saw this partnership as a great opportunity to promote their commitment to a healthy working environment for their employees and were excited to initiate a program.

"The wellness of our people is a key value for Russelectric. We have a very committed and dedicated workforce, and as a company we want to make sure they are treated well. We want to offer them access to the best wellness resources in order to enjoy long, healthy and productive careers and healthy and fulfilling retirement years. That is what we are hoping to get from the partnership with South Shore Health System," says Dorian E. Alexandrescu, President and CEO of Russelectric.

Logan discussed elements of wellness to start the relationship with Russelectric employees: "I wanted to go beyond typical advice like 'get up and move every hour.' There are many components to wellness, including emotional, social and spritual," Logan says. "I'm excited to work with Russelectric to learn how we can best help the organization's employees to live the healthiest lives possible."

This meeting is the start of an ongoing wellness program that will be tailored to Russelectric's needs.

If you are interested to learn more about this Presidents' Circle benefit and discuss how our clinical staff can help you promote a healthy workplace, please contact Marc Cregan at 781-624-8607 for details.

Many Presidents’ Circle members will be at the Walk for HospiceWill you?

On Saturday, March 24, South Shore Health System will host the 27th Annual Walk for Hospice at South Shore Plaza in Braintree. Over 2,000 community members will come together to support hospice patients and their families. The day will feature toe tapping entertainment, a Wall of Memories, vendors and much more! This year, we aim to raise over $200,000 to provide end-of-life care and bereavement services to more than 600 families on the South Shore. These funds allow no patient to be turned away regardless of his or her ability to pay.

We are grateful to our Presidents’ Circle members who generously support this event each year: